1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,980 Hey there, dental professionals and industry enthusiasts. 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,000 Picture this. It's October, and you're in the 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:07,779 middle of one of the most transformative 4 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,880 experiences of your career. You're at the Becker's 5 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,359 fall future of dentistry roundtable in the vibrant 6 00:00:13,359 --> 00:00:16,094 city of Chicago, fresh off an incredible 3 7 00:00:16,094 --> 00:00:19,154 days at the Hyatt Regency. Imagine yourself inspired 8 00:00:19,295 --> 00:00:22,974 and invigorated after attending captivating keynote sessions by 9 00:00:22,974 --> 00:00:25,695 none other than the legendary boxing world champion 10 00:00:25,695 --> 00:00:29,454 and CEO, Lila Elite, and the extraordinary professional 11 00:00:29,454 --> 00:00:32,899 basketball player, Caitlin Clark. See yourself engaged in 12 00:00:32,899 --> 00:00:36,260 lively discussions, exchanging ideas, and collecting a stack 13 00:00:36,260 --> 00:00:39,060 of business cards from fellow dental experts and 14 00:00:39,060 --> 00:00:42,200 potential partners. You've networked with over 350 15 00:00:42,579 --> 00:00:45,140 attendees and learned from more than 80 speakers 16 00:00:45,140 --> 00:00:47,524 who are at the forefront of dental innovation. 17 00:00:48,385 --> 00:00:51,585 You sat in on educational sessions exploring topics 18 00:00:51,585 --> 00:00:53,984 that elevate dental care as a critical element 19 00:00:53,984 --> 00:00:57,024 of whole person health. You've witnessed firsthand how 20 00:00:57,024 --> 00:00:58,965 digital technology is revolutionizing 21 00:00:59,424 --> 00:01:00,530 patient outcomes 22 00:01:00,909 --> 00:01:04,209 and how both large DSOs and independent practices 23 00:01:04,349 --> 00:01:05,170 are flourishing. 24 00:01:05,469 --> 00:01:07,709 Get ready to transform your career and don't 25 00:01:07,709 --> 00:01:10,609 miss out on this incredible opportunity. The Becker's 26 00:01:10,670 --> 00:01:13,569 fall future of dentistry roundtable is from October 27 00:01:13,745 --> 00:01:16,004 30th to November 1, 2024. 28 00:01:16,465 --> 00:01:18,645 Get registered by going to beckersdental.com 29 00:01:20,145 --> 00:01:21,924 and clicking on the events page. 30 00:01:22,784 --> 00:01:24,784 Hello. This is Arianna Porto Latin with the 31 00:01:24,784 --> 00:01:26,790 Becker's Dental and DiaSeal review podcast. 32 00:01:27,270 --> 00:01:28,870 I'm thrilled to be joined today by doctor 33 00:01:28,870 --> 00:01:31,189 Frank Clayton of Clayton Dental. Doctor Clayton, thank 34 00:01:31,189 --> 00:01:32,730 you so much for being here today. 35 00:01:33,270 --> 00:01:35,510 Hi, Arianna. I I appreciate the invite. It's 36 00:01:35,510 --> 00:01:37,430 great it's great to be here. Yeah. It's 37 00:01:37,430 --> 00:01:38,489 great to have you. 38 00:01:38,790 --> 00:01:40,469 So to start off with, can you introduce 39 00:01:40,469 --> 00:01:41,829 yourself and tell us a little bit about 40 00:01:41,829 --> 00:01:42,489 your background? 41 00:01:43,405 --> 00:01:44,284 Yes. Yes. 42 00:01:44,765 --> 00:01:47,165 As Arianna said, I'm doctor Frank Clayton. I 43 00:01:47,165 --> 00:01:47,984 am a dentist 44 00:01:48,364 --> 00:01:50,545 in North of Atlanta in Suwanee, Georgia. 45 00:01:51,484 --> 00:01:51,984 Started, 46 00:01:52,444 --> 00:01:53,825 practicing in 1999 47 00:01:55,210 --> 00:01:57,069 and started de novo practice 48 00:01:57,370 --> 00:01:58,189 of my own 49 00:01:58,569 --> 00:01:59,230 and recently 50 00:01:59,530 --> 00:02:02,270 sold to Foundation Dental Partners. So, 51 00:02:02,969 --> 00:02:05,290 right now, it's Clayton Dental, and we're undergoing 52 00:02:05,290 --> 00:02:07,064 a transition to Village Grove Dental. 53 00:02:08,025 --> 00:02:10,525 I'm a solo doc. I've had some specialists 54 00:02:10,585 --> 00:02:12,365 in and out and some associates. 55 00:02:13,224 --> 00:02:14,665 And right now, I'm in my, 56 00:02:15,385 --> 00:02:15,885 23rd 57 00:02:16,745 --> 00:02:18,444 year at this office. 58 00:02:19,379 --> 00:02:20,840 Great. Thank you for that. 59 00:02:21,219 --> 00:02:23,139 And what are some of the biggest issues 60 00:02:23,139 --> 00:02:24,659 that you're following right now in the dental 61 00:02:24,659 --> 00:02:25,159 industry? 62 00:02:26,020 --> 00:02:27,219 You know, you know, I don't think it's 63 00:02:27,219 --> 00:02:29,459 gonna be a surprise to anyone. It's the 64 00:02:29,459 --> 00:02:29,959 staffing. 65 00:02:30,819 --> 00:02:31,300 It's, 66 00:02:32,074 --> 00:02:33,674 has been the biggest challenge. You know, I 67 00:02:33,674 --> 00:02:35,754 was I was blessed to have no change 68 00:02:35,754 --> 00:02:36,254 for 69 00:02:36,555 --> 00:02:38,655 about 8 years. I had the same staff. 70 00:02:39,034 --> 00:02:41,194 I had been there for 18 years, 12 71 00:02:41,194 --> 00:02:42,574 years, 17 years. 72 00:02:43,114 --> 00:02:43,614 And, 73 00:02:44,394 --> 00:02:46,560 even through COVID, we made it. But 74 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:48,500 along with the aging, 75 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:50,259 goes retirement. 76 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:51,780 So a couple of those, 77 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,099 employees have retired 78 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:56,900 and now being in the hunt for finding, 79 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:00,580 employees that are, you know, 80 00:03:01,194 --> 00:03:03,034 that are ready to roll with my type 81 00:03:03,034 --> 00:03:06,094 of practice, that is, that's the biggest challenge. 82 00:03:06,955 --> 00:03:10,155 Okay. Not only yeah. For for pay rate, 83 00:03:10,155 --> 00:03:11,854 but for skills and philosophy, 84 00:03:12,155 --> 00:03:12,895 work ethic. 85 00:03:13,469 --> 00:03:15,150 And I think that mirrors what a lot 86 00:03:15,150 --> 00:03:15,729 of people, 87 00:03:16,269 --> 00:03:17,250 have come across. 88 00:03:18,189 --> 00:03:20,669 And I know the pandemic exacerbated a lot 89 00:03:20,669 --> 00:03:22,669 of those issues. Were you dealing with staffing 90 00:03:22,669 --> 00:03:24,370 shortages before COVID started? 91 00:03:25,229 --> 00:03:28,370 Luckily, we weren't. And I was very fortunate, 92 00:03:29,264 --> 00:03:31,205 that I kept my staff on 93 00:03:31,664 --> 00:03:33,444 and continued to 94 00:03:33,985 --> 00:03:35,664 I I didn't have to lay anybody off, 95 00:03:35,664 --> 00:03:36,884 continue to pay them, 96 00:03:37,185 --> 00:03:39,764 and didn't go through any transitions during COVID. 97 00:03:40,305 --> 00:03:42,840 My transitions just happened within the last, 98 00:03:43,639 --> 00:03:44,860 6 to 8 months. 99 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:45,900 So, 100 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:47,979 unlike a lot of practices 101 00:03:48,439 --> 00:03:50,699 that did experience a a lot of rocky 102 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:53,500 roads through COVID, I I have not. 103 00:03:54,039 --> 00:03:56,539 And what, positions are those affecting mostly? 104 00:03:58,104 --> 00:03:59,944 Hygiene for sure. You know, there's always seems 105 00:03:59,944 --> 00:04:01,245 to be a hygiene shortage, 106 00:04:01,784 --> 00:04:02,525 low supply. 107 00:04:03,305 --> 00:04:05,644 My my thoughts on that are it's it's 108 00:04:05,864 --> 00:04:07,485 predominantly female dominated, 109 00:04:08,664 --> 00:04:09,164 and 110 00:04:09,705 --> 00:04:10,205 females 111 00:04:11,159 --> 00:04:13,259 have the kids, stay home with the kids. 112 00:04:13,719 --> 00:04:16,139 So the supply is constantly 113 00:04:16,439 --> 00:04:19,480 low. That's the number 1. The second is 114 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,019 actually finding qualified, 115 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:22,699 front desk administrator 116 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:23,980 with, 117 00:04:25,044 --> 00:04:27,704 you know, with experience. They're there, but, 118 00:04:28,485 --> 00:04:31,625 each practice is very it's different with different 119 00:04:31,764 --> 00:04:32,985 details and insurance, 120 00:04:33,845 --> 00:04:36,485 whether it's cosmetic driven, implant driven. So there's 121 00:04:36,485 --> 00:04:37,384 a different verbiage 122 00:04:37,764 --> 00:04:40,324 and processes and treatment plans to run through 123 00:04:40,324 --> 00:04:40,620 with 124 00:04:41,419 --> 00:04:42,800 with, front desk admin. 125 00:04:43,100 --> 00:04:46,139 Mhmm. So that takes a little more effort 126 00:04:46,139 --> 00:04:48,399 than I would say chairside assistant, 127 00:04:49,339 --> 00:04:51,680 in filling, but it's been a challenge. 128 00:04:52,459 --> 00:04:52,959 Okay. 129 00:04:53,435 --> 00:04:55,675 And I'm also curious, what are you most 130 00:04:55,675 --> 00:04:57,435 excited about when it comes to dentistry right 131 00:04:57,435 --> 00:04:59,115 now, and is there anything that makes you 132 00:04:59,115 --> 00:04:59,615 nervous? 133 00:05:01,275 --> 00:05:04,395 Yeah. Good questions. The the excited part is 134 00:05:04,395 --> 00:05:05,055 the technology, 135 00:05:06,270 --> 00:05:07,870 that I see and then I was starting 136 00:05:07,870 --> 00:05:10,370 to use with as far you know, 137 00:05:10,670 --> 00:05:13,009 as deepest treatment planning on 3 d 138 00:05:13,550 --> 00:05:14,610 and 3 d printers 139 00:05:15,310 --> 00:05:16,850 and things that 140 00:05:17,230 --> 00:05:18,930 once had to go to a lab, 141 00:05:19,915 --> 00:05:22,235 maybe that weren't a 100% accurate because they 142 00:05:22,235 --> 00:05:23,134 involved analog. 143 00:05:23,435 --> 00:05:25,134 Meaning, you know, if you use polyvinyl 144 00:05:25,595 --> 00:05:27,355 or something that was prone to air or 145 00:05:27,355 --> 00:05:28,495 shrinkage or heat. 146 00:05:28,955 --> 00:05:31,115 A lot of the technology now takes that 147 00:05:31,115 --> 00:05:32,415 guesswork out of it 148 00:05:33,419 --> 00:05:35,979 very precise to the point where it really 149 00:05:35,979 --> 00:05:38,079 can't be off, but you can buy technology 150 00:05:38,779 --> 00:05:41,519 to replace some of the lab driven costs 151 00:05:42,060 --> 00:05:44,300 and keep it in your office as far 152 00:05:44,300 --> 00:05:44,959 as templates 153 00:05:45,500 --> 00:05:48,814 and guides and even you know, I understand 154 00:05:48,814 --> 00:05:51,455 they're 3 d printing crowns. That's very exciting 155 00:05:51,455 --> 00:05:52,275 stuff that's, 156 00:05:52,814 --> 00:05:54,655 recently come along that I think is gonna 157 00:05:54,655 --> 00:05:55,955 change a lot of the way, 158 00:05:56,415 --> 00:05:57,875 the younger dentists practice. 159 00:05:58,975 --> 00:06:00,735 Okay. And was there anything that makes you 160 00:06:00,735 --> 00:06:01,875 nervous about the industry? 161 00:06:03,539 --> 00:06:06,120 Continues to be the, the labor pool. 162 00:06:06,579 --> 00:06:08,500 You know, with with that, what I just 163 00:06:08,500 --> 00:06:10,039 mentioned with technology, 164 00:06:11,060 --> 00:06:13,479 either you're going to have to train someone 165 00:06:13,779 --> 00:06:14,279 who, 166 00:06:14,740 --> 00:06:16,419 if they had been in dental, maybe not 167 00:06:16,419 --> 00:06:17,719 familiar with that technology. 168 00:06:18,444 --> 00:06:21,904 The low supply pool in addition to advanced 169 00:06:22,605 --> 00:06:23,665 training with that, 170 00:06:25,165 --> 00:06:26,305 is gonna create, 171 00:06:27,644 --> 00:06:29,884 employees that need a special skill set if 172 00:06:29,884 --> 00:06:31,805 you're one of those offices that employs a 173 00:06:31,805 --> 00:06:32,865 lot of that technology. 174 00:06:33,899 --> 00:06:36,319 So you're even looking for more of just 175 00:06:36,540 --> 00:06:38,620 instead of an you know, an assistant, you're 176 00:06:38,620 --> 00:06:40,080 looking for a niche assistant 177 00:06:40,459 --> 00:06:41,199 that understands 178 00:06:41,580 --> 00:06:44,160 maybe your workflow processes that you do. 179 00:06:45,259 --> 00:06:47,544 Obviously, each one is dependent on practices, And 180 00:06:47,544 --> 00:06:49,644 you could be a surgical practices or endo. 181 00:06:49,944 --> 00:06:52,504 But for general restorative, if you're taking a 182 00:06:52,504 --> 00:06:55,305 dip into the technology pool, you're going to 183 00:06:55,305 --> 00:06:55,805 be 184 00:06:56,185 --> 00:06:58,345 spending or having people come to your office 185 00:06:58,345 --> 00:06:59,084 to train 186 00:06:59,464 --> 00:07:01,944 your employees to get up to speed on 187 00:07:01,944 --> 00:07:02,444 that. 188 00:07:03,370 --> 00:07:05,230 Okay. Yeah. That makes a lot of sense. 189 00:07:05,930 --> 00:07:08,410 And last question here. What will the most 190 00:07:08,410 --> 00:07:10,730 effective health care leaders need to be successful 191 00:07:10,730 --> 00:07:12,110 in the next 2 to 3 years? 192 00:07:14,889 --> 00:07:15,389 Honestly, 193 00:07:16,115 --> 00:07:16,775 the most 194 00:07:17,154 --> 00:07:19,715 successful healthcare leaders that and I'll bleed over 195 00:07:19,715 --> 00:07:20,535 into medical, 196 00:07:21,475 --> 00:07:23,095 ones that have been 197 00:07:23,395 --> 00:07:24,215 on the ground 198 00:07:24,835 --> 00:07:25,895 in these offices 199 00:07:26,915 --> 00:07:29,335 and see the way the processes work, 200 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:31,579 Because of the changing, 201 00:07:32,839 --> 00:07:34,540 climate with employees, 202 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:36,839 it's very different than it was 10 or 203 00:07:36,839 --> 00:07:38,439 20 years ago if you're, you know, a 204 00:07:38,439 --> 00:07:40,139 health care executive or a leader 205 00:07:40,439 --> 00:07:42,860 to manage by that style because 206 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,019 the the younger workforce, 207 00:07:45,794 --> 00:07:47,095 different mix of 208 00:07:47,714 --> 00:07:50,035 commitment to the job, more days off, more 209 00:07:50,035 --> 00:07:53,095 traveling, more it's it's a different culture shift. 210 00:07:53,634 --> 00:07:55,634 If you are a health care executive and 211 00:07:55,634 --> 00:07:57,495 still managing by the old principles, 212 00:07:58,035 --> 00:07:59,714 I think you're gonna run into a wall 213 00:07:59,714 --> 00:08:03,020 and some resistance with employees, whether they be 214 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:04,060 top level, 215 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,420 VPs or managers trying to implement that 216 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,620 all the way down to a younger workforce 217 00:08:11,399 --> 00:08:12,220 that is, 218 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,285 you know, that you have to tailor your 219 00:08:16,285 --> 00:08:17,824 style of presentation 220 00:08:18,685 --> 00:08:19,425 and leadership, 221 00:08:20,444 --> 00:08:22,785 and blend it with another generation. 222 00:08:23,404 --> 00:08:25,425 And I think those that try to force 223 00:08:25,485 --> 00:08:26,944 old generation habits, 224 00:08:27,620 --> 00:08:30,019 whether it be the small DSO or even 225 00:08:30,019 --> 00:08:32,279 a large in a larger hospital setting, 226 00:08:33,299 --> 00:08:36,419 you have to realize that you're not talking 227 00:08:36,419 --> 00:08:37,080 to people 228 00:08:37,539 --> 00:08:39,940 and that you were 20 years ago, and 229 00:08:39,940 --> 00:08:42,019 things have changed, and they have to get 230 00:08:42,019 --> 00:08:44,075 up to speed with it. My suggestion would 231 00:08:44,075 --> 00:08:46,654 be, honestly, get down at that level 232 00:08:47,195 --> 00:08:49,375 and talk to those people. Work a day 233 00:08:49,434 --> 00:08:50,414 in that environment 234 00:08:50,715 --> 00:08:51,375 to see 235 00:08:51,835 --> 00:08:53,934 how, how things have changed. 236 00:08:55,259 --> 00:08:55,759 Okay. 237 00:08:56,700 --> 00:08:58,379 Yeah. Well, thank you so much for joining 238 00:08:58,379 --> 00:09:00,379 us today, doctor Clayton. It's been a pleasure 239 00:09:00,379 --> 00:09:01,740 speaking with you and I look forward to 240 00:09:01,740 --> 00:09:03,759 connecting, with you again in the future. 241 00:09:04,300 --> 00:09:06,620 Oh, you bet. I appreciate the invite and 242 00:09:06,620 --> 00:09:07,360 take care.